Truth Imitates Fiction

 

Woke up today to find this story on Facebook. I tend to lie in bed for a while when I awaken before the rest of the house for a good reason. Once my feet hit the floor downstairs Mack welcomes me with a cacophony of high-pitched barking, awakening people from their peaceful dreams.

However, when I read the story I found myself, by some sleight of text, back in the living room of my parents’ house late November into December last year.

I called their house one fateful day, having had a feeling that I should talk to Mom. Little did I know that I had already seen her for for the last time, and would never speak to her again except on the phone.

Dad answered. He seemed confused. I asked where she was.

“In an ambulance on the way to St. Mary’s” he managed to tell me.

Actually the ambulance was still in the yard as they were trying to stabilize her.

I grabbed a bag of chargers, NOOK, a few clothes and snacks, and Ralph raced me up to watch over Dad.

11 of the longest days of my life ensued.

Dad had been falling regularly. Vertigo from his meds? A wonky knee? Both?

Who knows?

Anyhow he kept falling, plus he blasted FOX at eye watering volume off and on all night. Plus I was sleeping on a camp cot in the living room.

Sleep was elusive at best. I managed to get through the nights reading JA Jance books, particularly the Ali Reynolds series, my favorites. JA is hands down my favorite author.

Some of her books deal with a fertility doctor who used his own genetic byproducts to get families with child, producing a southern family reunion’s worth of genetically damaged children, who later found each other.

The story above is so eerily similar to the plots of those stories, that I had to come downstairs and hustle Mack out to his run so I could write about it. I also sent Ms. Jance the link and my thanks for helping me through that awful time

To be continued in Timeline post above....